Medieval Britain on Television

In Search for Medieval Britain, 'Medieval art historian Dr Alixe Bovey uses the oldest surviving route map of Britain to make a series of journeys through Britain in the Middle Ages.' Some interesting content, but an inordinate amount of screen time is taken up by Dr Boweys' annoying face and unnecessarily sporty mode of transport. Also unlikely is the use of emerging Polaroid photographs to link between sites of historical interest. Altogether not hugely edifying.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b009xws3

The map she uses as a guide is the Gough map, dating from the 14th century. Of what profound relevance this is to her journey I'm not sure.


A much more coherent programme on the era is 'Inside the Medieval Mind'.


Subsequent parts on YouTube.

In our Time's programme about Abélard and Héloise is also very good. French, I know, but I got a bit distracted.

Detail of an illumination from a 14th c. manuscript of Le Roman de la Rose.